


All Signs Point To 'I Love You'

by allmystars



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel Loves Dean Winchester, Castiel and Dean Winchester Need to Use Their Words, Chef Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester Loves Castiel, Domestic Fluff, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Sign Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-04-02
Packaged: 2019-12-31 22:25:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18323171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allmystars/pseuds/allmystars
Summary: The first time Cas gets it wrong, Dean laughs, smiling fondly at his pop-culture-reference-impaired boyfriend who’s holding up his hand in a half-done Rock On hand sign. His pinky and index finger are in the right place, as are the other two, but his thumb sticks out to the side instead of curling in against the tips of his middle and ring finger.“Rock on, Cas.” He emphasizes the sign by making it with his own fingers. “Like this.”Or;In which Castiel keeps telling Dean he loves him and Dean just doesn't get the memo.





	All Signs Point To 'I Love You'

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I've had this idea for a while but I've finally gotten around to writing it! I hope you like! Let me know in the comments or leave a kudos!
> 
> Come find me on Instagram too @allmystars_i

The first time Castiel gets it wrong, Dean laughs at his pop-culture-reference-impaired boyfriend who’s holding up his hand in a half-done _Rock On_ hand sign. His pinky and index finger are in the right place, as are the other two, but his thumb sticks out to the side instead of curling in against the tips of his middle and ring finger.

He approaches Castiel with a fond smile, watching his confused face as Castiel lowers his hand. Dean catches it, though, holding it up for Castiel to see as he tucks his thumb in.

“Rock on, Castiel.” He emphasizes the sign by making it with his own fingers. “Like this.”

Castiel looks so started that he doesn’t speak for a moment, then a bright red flush creeps up his neck and into his cheeks. His chin dips and Dean can’t help but grin. “Oh. Yes, rock...on.” Castiel's smile is shy as turns to the door, reaching for the knob.

Dean catches his wrist and pulls him around, pressing a soft kiss to his lips before letting him go. “See you tonight.”

Then Castiel is gone and Dean’s left standing in the doorway watching him hurry down the hall. How did Dean get so lucky? He’ll never know, but he sure as hell isn’t letting Castiel go.

He stands in the doorway long after Castiel is gone, lost in his thoughts. They've been dating for six months now, but it feels like a lifetime. He thinks about the day they met—on an early morning coffee run to the bakery down the street. Dean had accidentally grabbed Castiel's biscuit instead of his own pie, and Castiel had chased him down the street, his anxious eyes glancing at the box in Dean’s hands even before he explained what happened, stuttering over his words and blushing profusely the entire time.

Dean had asked him out on the spot, completely taken by his big blue eyes. To his shock and delight, Castiel had agreed, stumbling over his words. They had found a little bench where they ate their treats and talked well into the afternoon.

The rest is history.

Now Dean can’t seem to get enough of him. Even at the age of thirty-two, he feels like a love-struck teenager, day-dreaming constantly about Castiel's sweet smile and kind heart. He loves the way he feels with Cas—there’s a warmth inside his chest whenever Castiel is near. It’s not something he’s ever felt with another person, but the strength of it almost scares him. No, it _does_ scare him. It scares him a _lot._

***

He’s at the stove, stirring noodles and letting spaghetti sauce simmer when a key turns in the lock. Dean smiles with his back to the door as Castiel comes in.

“Smells good,” Castiel calls from the entrance, and Dean looks over his shoulder with a smile. Castiel hangs up that damn trench coat he refuses to get rid of and wonders closer, wrapping his arms around Dean’s waist and resting his chin on his shoulder to watch him cook.

“I’m baking an apple pie, too.” Dean leans his temple against Castiel’s, giving the noodles one more stir before picking one off the fork and holding it up to Castiel's mouth. He blows on it before opening up and taking it between his lips.

“Few more minutes,” he whispers before pressing a kiss to Dean’s cheek and moving away. “I’ll set the table.”

“Thank you,” Dean chirps, wiping his hands on the frilly pink apron Castiel bought him as a joke. Dean claims to wear it out of spite, but he secretly loves the way it looks on him—that’s none of Castiel's business, though. He checks his pie, deciding it also needs a bit longer, so he leans against the counter, watching Castiel as he putters around their small dining room, laying out the plates and cutlery.

He moves with fluid grace, every movement strong and sure, and as much as Dean wants to stand there and watch as he moves around their apartment, he pushes himself away from the counter and heads toward the radio, scanning until he finds his favorite classic rock station. He smiles when good ol’ Robby Plant’s voice fills the room.

“Dean,” Castiel says and Dean turns, finding a smiling Castiel, holding up that not-quite-right _Rock On_ hand sign.

He rolls his eyes on a grin, holding up his hand in the proper sign, thumb tucked, and all. “Like _this_ you moron!” He laughs, and so does Cas, who turns back to his table setting, shaking his head as he does.

They sit down across from each other—at Castiel’s insistence for proper table setting—and dig in. Castiel hums, glancing up at Dean with a smile before wiping his mouth. “This is delicious, Dean. You’re so good to me.”

Dean blushes, nudging Castiel’s foot under the table. “Don’t mention it,” he murmurs. He knows he can cook—he _is_ a culinary arts graduate after all—and hearing praise for his cooking is nothing new, but it’s different coming from Castiel.

When they’re finished dinner, Dean dishes out the pie and brings it to the couch where Castiel is waiting with their favorite cheesy medical drama already queued up and ready to go. Dean smiles when Castiel glances up, passing him a plate as he settles in against his side.

He watches as Castiel fidgets with his plate and the blanket, still not used to eating anywhere but at the table. That was Dean’s compromise on the whole thing; eat dinner at the table with the proper setting, but dessert is in front of the TV. Castiel agreed, albeit reluctantly.

As Dean takes his first bite of pie and snuggles deeper into Castiel’s side, he can’t help feeling like he could get used to this.

Later that night, as they lie facing each other in bed, their eyes drooping with exhaustion, Castiel curls his fingers up into that not-quite-right _Rock On_ sign. Dean smiles, taking Castiel’s hand in both of his and curling his thumb in before pressing a soft kiss to his fingers.

“Goodnight, my angel.”  
Castiel sighs. “Goodnight, Dean.”

***

The weeks pass quickly and soon, Sammy’s calling Dean about a visit. Dean couldn’t be more excited for Castiel to meet his brother, and he can practically feel it bubbling in his veins every time it crosses his mind.

“Hey, so I’m bringing someone with me...” Sam says, his voice trailing off at the end. Dean smirks, already knowing this _someone_ isn’t just a friend.

“Oh yeah? Someone special?”  
“Yes, but, Dean—”  
“Don’t worry—I’ll be on my _best_ behavior.”

“Wait, Dean—”

“Oh! Gotta go, Sammy; Castiel just got home.” He hangs up before Sam can say anything more, turning to smile at his boyfriend as he hangs up his jacket. “Hey, baby.” Dean’s grin falls when he sees how tired Castiel looks. “Everything okay?”

Castiel heaves a heavy sigh and walks right into Dean’s outstretched arms. “Long day at work. Nothing to worry about.” But he doesn’t move away from Dean, holding on and kissing Dean’s neck as Dean patiently waits for him to elaborate. “Boss is a dick and I can’t get the weekend off to visit with your brother.”

“Oh,” Dean pouts before lifting his shoulders in a small shrug to mask some of his disappointment. “That’s alright. You can still make it for dinner, though, right?”

“I don’t know. Lunch maybe?” Castiel pulls back and Dean smiles as he runs his fingers through Castiel’s wild hair.

“I’ll call Sam and let him know.”  
Castiel beams, pulling away and wrinkling his nose a little. “Is dinner almost ready? I’m _starving._ ” His stomach rumbles and Dean chuckles before moving back to the kitchen. “Should be ready by the time you get washed up.” He starts pulling plates and cutlery out, setting them aside for when Castiel gets back, but he pauses when Castiel says his name.

“Dean?”

He looks up to see Castiel holding up his not-quite-right _Rock On_ sign. Dean grins and holds his hand up with the _proper_ sign, getting a small laugh and a head-shake from Castiel as he turns away.

***

Castiel and Sam get along brilliantly, getting into all the nerdy crap while Dean talks with Eileen, who—as Sam somehow _forgot_ to mention—is deaf, and communicates through sign-language, of which Dean knows exactly _nothing,_ and through lip reading. Dean has been able to carry out an entire conversation with her without even the slightest hiccup.

He likes her already and he can tell Sam likes Castiel, too. Overall, this entire meet-the-brother thing has gone over far better than Dean could’ve hoped for.

It’s sad when Castiel has to leave, and they all walk him to the curb where he’ll take a cab to his office building. Dean pulls him into a tight hug, kissing him on the cheek, then the lips, before pulling away.

“I’ll see you tonight,” he whispers, smiling softly as Castiel’s eyes shine from the inside.

“I’ll probably get in pretty late, so don’t wait up for me.”

Dean will anyway. “I'll see you later.”

Then Castiel is in the cab, holding up his not-quite-right _Rock On_ sign, and all Dean can do his shake his head and wave him off.

“Castiel _does_ know he’s doing the _Rock On_ sign _wrong_ , right? He’s supposed to tuck his thumb _in,_ ” Sam says and Dean just barely starts to nod and roll his eyes when Eileen socks Sam in the gut. Not hard, but enough to get his attention.

“You moron! That means _I love you_.” Dean’s eyebrows practically shoot into his hairline, and it’s Eileen’s turn to roll her eyes. She holds up her fingers just like Castiel does. “It’s sign-language for _I love you_.” She clicks her tongue. “Morons.”

They say their goodbyes not long after that, and Dean is in a daze for the rest of the night, feeling like an actual _moron_. Why hadn’t he figured that out himself? Castiel is a smart guy—he knows what the _Rock On_ hand sign looks like, so he’s been silently telling Dean he loves him for the past two months, then?

Damn...Dean really is a moron.

It’s late when Castiel finally gets in, but Dean is still awake, if not up. He lies in bed, waiting for Castiel to find him, and when he does, a smile spreads across Dean's face. “Joining me?”

Castiel grins. “In a minute—I need to brush my teeth.”

“Don’t take too long; I’ve missed you.” And he has. He always misses Castiel when he’s gone, and when he’s around, all he wants to do is be near him. He makes Dean happy in a way he’s never felt before—he makes him feel completely alive.

Castiel crawls into bed next to Dean, turning off the lamp before lying down with his head on the pillow, facing Dean, their noses only inches apart. Dean’s eyes droop, but he struggles to keep them open as Castiel kisses his lips.

“Dean,” Castiel murmurs.

“Yeah, baby?” He forces his eyes open, seeing Castiel easily even in the dark room.

He doesn’t say anything, though—only smiles softly and holds up his not-quite-right _Rock On_ hand sign—his _I love you_ sign.

Dean can’t help but smile as warmth floods his heart. His eyes fall shut as he wraps an arm around Castiel’s waist. “I love you, too, my angel.”

He can’t see Castiel’s smile, but he knows it’s there—he can feel it when Castiel’s lips press against his own.


End file.
